UPDATED List of Current Cruise Directors (CD)

[DonnaK]

Awesome info! Thank you so much!

christopher hopkins just got prometed to cruise director he Will be the cruise director ON the Rhapsody

Adventure OTS - Rob McNally started on May 4 (until when? Then who?)

 

Allure OTS - Allan Brooks started on June 15 (until when? then who?)

 

Anthem OTS - Joff Eaton will be taking out the ship and continuing on as its regular CD. Ken Rush will also be onboard for the first 6-8 weeks doing behind the scenes duties to provide a smooth take out

 

Brilliance OTS - Dru Pavlov began on June 28. Until when? Then who?

 

Enchantment OTS - Marc Walker from July 12 until Nov 17, then Mitch Merucci from Nov 17 until Jan 19.

 

Explorer OTS - Leigh Xuereb from May 8 until September 6, followed by Keith Williams on September 6 until November 1. Leigh is not sure if he'll be returning to Explorer on November 1st, or if he'll be reassigned (to Allure?).

 

Freedom OTS - Rich Edwards from June 8 until August 3, then Casey Pelter (for 2 months? 4 months?)

 

Grandeur OTS - Ricky Matthews from July 18 until October 16, then Rich Edwards from October 16 until February 2015.

 

Independence OTS - Joff Eaton May 17 through October 25. Then who? (This is Joff's last contract on Indy - after his vacation, he is headed to the shipyard mid-March to prepare for taking out Anthem on April 22, 2015).

 

Jewel OTS - Dennis Charles started July 12 for 2 months, followed by Carly Boileau for 4 months, then Dennis for 2 more months (need exact handover dates)

Legend OTS - Luke Aerowsmith (need dates). Keith Williams starts in November.

 

Liberty OTS -Jerome Sueur started June 6 for 4 months. (Jerome's break will likely be October and November, returning for December through end of March 2015). Then who?

 

Majesty OTS - Carlos Torres started June 8

 

Mariner OTS - Ken Jones started May 18 until July 30, then Dan Whitney

 

Navigator OTS - John Perry from April 20 until Aug 17 then Mitch Merucci Aug 17 until Oct 19 .

 

Oasis OTS - Drew Devine July 19 through November 15, then Ricky Matthews starts November 15

 

Quantum OTS - Jimmy Rhodes will be taking out the ship and continuing on as its regular CD. Ken Rush will also be onboard for the first 6-8 weeks doing behind the scenes duties to provide a smooth take out. (Zach Stratford will be the Activities Manager)

 

Radiance OTS - Amy Fickert starts April 27 until August 22 and returns November 5 (who is filling in from Aug 22 - Nov 5?)

 

Rhapsody OTS - Paul Rutter is doing a quick fill-in from July 18 through August 1, then Christopher Hopkins from August 1 for approximately 8 weeks, then Graham Seymour will return at the end of September/beginning of October.

 

Serenade OTS - Mercedes Lafuente started June 28 *John and Katrina Blair are returning in November (needs confirmation)

 

Splendour OTS - Bill Brunkhorst for the European Season

 

Vision OTS - Steve Davis started on June 9 until October 4th, then Paul Rutter October 4 through December 12, then Steve Davis returns for 4 months

 

Voyager OTS - Lixin Fang began April 10 for the Asian season

 

 

Richard Spacey is now Manager of Entertainment, Activities and Family Strategy Development for Celebrity Cruises in their corporate offices in Miami, working alongside Becky Thompson.

Dave Chapman has left RCCL. He is taking an extended break, and then he will be moving over to another cruiseline.

James Andrews is a real estate agent in Sydney

Mike Szwajkowski is a Canadian Mountie

Leo Papa at Cornell University working on a Master's degree in Hospitality Administration/Management

Anna Bass is now Client Services Manager at ISS London

Abe Hughes is Director of Port Revenue Operations at Royal Media Partners

João Pereira is studying Portuguese/English education and translation at Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas in Brazil

Kirk Detweiler is now CD with Silversea cruises.

Simeon Baker - married a dancer, had a baby girl and is a sales exec at a Porsche dealer in Saskatchewan

Matt Baker - Sim's brother - recently married and living in Wales. They bought a pub called the Tiddley

Kieron Buffrey - CD with Holland America

Tom Canosa - teaching 6th grade science in North Carolina

Peter Benfield and Johnny Osborne have emigrated to Thailand

Anthony Richards is living in Miami with his wife, and is working for Royal Media Partners as Manager Port Revenue Operations

Rico du Breil is now a CD with NCL

Paul Lancaster is no longer with RCI, and resides in England

Abel Jeney is International Manager at Kingswood Education and Adventure in London

Parker Cristan is living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - staging/choreographing for local theater

Ashley Kerr - married and living in Vancouver BC, working as a marketing rep for a PR firm

Karen Maybury - has a consultant/pr/entertainment agency

Jannie Cloete - leading expeditions on small ships

Where is Warren Allen? (aka Warren Melhuish)

 

(If anyone knows the whereabouts of other former RCI cruise directors, I'd be happy to add them to the end of this list, as there seems to be a lot of questions about them)

Edited July 25, 2014 by DonnaK

[Krywyj1981]

Emailed royal. Looks like Joff Eaton will be on Independence for the December 14th sailing.

 

 

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[DonnaK]

Emailed royal. Looks like Joff Eaton will be on Independence for the December 14th sailing.

 

 

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I'm sorry to say that this is not possible.

 

Joff himself confirmed that this is his last contract on Indy. After his break, he is headed over to the shipyard to prepare for the Anthem takeout.

 

This has to be accurate because he has been officially announced as the CD of Anthem, and he logistically cannot go back to Indy after his break.

 

Sometimes those RCI emails are inaccurate. They had become more reliable over the past 1-2 years, but this one is surely not right.

Edited July 26, 2014 by DonnaK

[Krywyj1981]

I'm sorry to say that this is not possible.

 

 

 

Joff himself confirmed that this is his last contract on Indy. After his break, he is headed over to the shipyard to prepare for the Anthem takeout.

 

 

 

This has to be accurate because he has been officially announced as the CD of Anthem, and he logistically cannot go back to Indy after his break.

 

 

 

Sometimes those RCI emails are inaccurate. They had become more reliable over the past 1-2 years, but this one is surely not right.

 

 

That's actually good news. We just sailed on Indy last November and had Joff. We liked him but were hoping for someone new.

 

 

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[Miamia65]

Hi Donna

As suggested I emailed RCI re: who would be the CD on Voyager for the 25 November Singapore to Sydney cruise. The response is (cut and paste straight from the email):

 

For the November 25, 2014 sailing of the Voyager of the Seas the Cruise Director will be Fang Lixin. We were unable to find who the Activities Manager will be at that time, but the current Activities Manager is Darryl Dyball.

[DonnaK]

Hi Donna

As suggested I emailed RCI re: who would be the CD on Voyager for the 25 November Singapore to Sydney cruise. The response is (cut and paste straight from the email):

 

For the November 25, 2014 sailing of the Voyager of the Seas the Cruise Director will be Fang Lixin. We were unable to find who the Activities Manager will be at that time, but the current Activities Manager is Darryl Dyball.

Thank you!

 

How many days is that cruise? Because once the ship arrives in Sydney, there will likely be a CD handover, and another CD for the Australian season. (At least that's been the CD pattern for the past few years)

Edited July 26, 2014 by DonnaK

[ruthnewark]

Does Bill Brunkhurst stay on Splendour for the November 22 transatlantic, Barcelona to São Paulo Thanks

[DonnaK]

Does Bill Brunkhurst stay on Splendour for the November 22 transatlantic, Barcelona to São Paulo Thanks

 

Unknown at this time. A typical time for cruise directors to change is either before or after a repositioning sailing. Last year, the change occurred after the transatlantic, so my guess is that Bill will stay onboard until the ship gets to Brazil.

 

The CD for the South American season last year was Michelle Pimentinha. That appears to have been her only appearance as a Cruise Director with RCI (although it seems that she has been on the activities staff on other ships (Majesty?) in the interim). It is not known if she is returning to Splendour as CD for the next South American season or if someone else will get the assignment.

Edited July 26, 2014 by DonnaK

[springaussie]

Thank you!

 

How many days is that cruise? Because once the ship arrives in Sydney, there will likely be a CD handover, and another CD for the Australian season. (At least that's been the CD pattern for the past few years)

 

It seems odd to a Asian Cruise Director on for just 2 cruises.

Voyager is in dry dock Singapore for 5 weeks from mid October 2014.

Then works a 4 day charter from Singapore 21 November 2014.

Then 13 night repositioning cruise to Sydney departing Singapore 25 November 2014.

[DonnaK]

It seems odd to a Asian Cruise Director on for just 2 cruises.

Voyager is in dry dock Singapore for 5 weeks from mid October 2014.

Then works a 4 day charter from Singapore 21 November 2014.

Then 13 night repositioning cruise to Sydney departing Singapore 25 November 2014.

 

Hmm...it does seem odd. I had forgotten about the drydock.

 

Fang may do those cruises and then switch to another ship in Asia?? He is the usual CD for Asian cruises.

Edited July 26, 2014 by DonnaK

[Miamia65]

Hmm...it does seem odd. I had forgotten about the drydock.

 

Fang may do those cruises and then switch to another ship in Asia?? He is the usual CD for Asian cruises.

 

Is it possible that because he is the current CD that RCI just gave me his name?

This would mean that his contract is for 7 months based on his april start date??

Does the CD usually change before the repositioning to sydney for the australian season or for the first cruise in Australia (after the repositioning)?

 

The roll call is full of aussies, having said that it doesn't appear as though asians are interested in roll calls based on the activity in the Voyager of the Seas Roll Call section of cc....

[Miamia65]

Ok so I went back through the threads to october last year and Luke Arrowsmith took over from Fang Lixin and started on the repositioning cruise.

 

Maybe this will be the case. I will see if I can find anything on other roll calls.

[ruthnewark]

Unknown at this time. A typical time for cruise directors to change is either before or after a repositioning sailing. Last year, the change occurred after the transatlantic, so my guess is that Bill will stay onboard until the ship gets to Brazil.

 

The CD for the South American season last year was Michelle Pimentinha. That appears to have been her only appearance as a Cruise Director with RCI (although it seems that she has been on the activities staff on other ships (Majesty?) in the interim). It is not known if she is returning to Splendour as CD for the next South American season or if someone else will get the assignment.

 

Thanks Donna, maybe there will be more information nearer to the sailing date.

[Justcruzin08]

Hi

Sailing Rhapsody in September, any options of Christopher Hopkins as a cruise director? What ships has he been on?

Thank you.

[DonnaK]

Hi

Sailing Rhapsody in September, any options of Christopher Hopkins as a cruise director? What ships has he been on?

Thank you.

 

It seems that he was promoted to CD for this contract. He probably was a member of the activities staff or the activities manager onboard rhapsody until now (which means that he worked with Graham, who is one of RCIs very best CDs)

Edited July 27, 2014 by DonnaK

[Justcruzin08]

It seems that he was promoted to CD for this contract. He probably was a member of the activities staff or the activities manager onboard rhapsody until now (which means that he worked with Graham, who is one of RCIs very best CDs)

 

Thanks Donna,

[ncb106]

Hi Donna just chatted with allan Brooks he on the allure until mid August and the be will do one more contract on the allure and be part of the quantum he will take over when Jimmy goes one vacation 4 moths Jimmy,then allan 2.months

[rafinmd]

Hi

Sailing Rhapsody in September, any options of Christopher Hopkins as a cruise director? What ships has he been on?

Thank you.

 

Try searching on him (on cruise critic). I saw at least one post where he was Activities Manager and that poster raved about him. There are probably other such posts out there for a variety of opinions and endorsements.

 

Roy

[ncb106]

I had him few years back on the Explorer he ok

[ncb106]

Hére a video of chris with leigh

[randb67]

Does anyone know who the CD will be on the Allure for the August 24 and August 31 sailings?

 

Thanks!

 

Bev

[patramark]

Does anyone know what happened to Topi? He was the CD on my Legend cruise in April and I thought he was great.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Does anyone know what happened to Topi? He was the CD on my Legend cruise in April and I thought he was great.

 

I was wondering the same thing. Topi was supposed to be on Legend for the European season. We board again Sept 7 for the TA and were hoping to cruise with him again.

[internetwhiz]

Anyone know who will be the CD for Oasis TA Westbound?

 

 

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[truffles2]

Does anyone know what happened to Topi? He was the CD on my Legend cruise in April and I thought he was great.

 

I thought Topi was great too. He really put himself (and others) out there. Thought it was great that he arranged matinees by the guest entertainers.